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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26376895">Surprise the Child Surprise</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/dhwty_writes/pseuds/dhwty_writes'>dhwty_writes</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Geraskier One-Shots [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types, Wiedźmin | The Witcher Series - Andrzej Sapkowski</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Birthday, Birthday Fluff, Established Relationship, Family Fluff, Fluff, Gen, Geralt of Rivia and Yennefer of Vengerberg are Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon's Parents, Jaskier | Dandelion Has ADHD, M/M, Sick Jaskier | Dandelion, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, and I say there be FLUFF, and Jaskier too, and to you guys, but nothing bad, this is my birthday present to myself</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 08:02:33</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,675</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26376895</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/dhwty_writes/pseuds/dhwty_writes</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>"So, your child surprise is about to turn eighteen years old."<br/>"Shit happens," Geralt grunted and turned to his side. "Lie down and go the fuck to sleep, Jaskier."<br/>"What do you mean, shit happens?" he gasped, doing a very poor job of keeping his voice down. "We have to do something about it!"<br/>He sighed exasperatedly and rubbed at his temples. "We can't stop a birthday, bard. Now get back here, so I can sleep."<br/>"I don't want to stop it, idiot!" he hissed. "I want to celebrate it."</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Jaskier and Geralt almost forget Ciri's eighteenth birthday and Jaskier just won't have that. He plans on celebrating it as it should be. Everything goes horribly wrong - until it doesn't.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon &amp; Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon &amp; Jaskier | Dandelion, Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon &amp; Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia &amp; Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion, Jaskier | Dandelion &amp; Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Geraskier One-Shots [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1931821</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>188</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Surprise the Child Surprise</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>It's my birthday and I can't celebrate because of Covid. So, I decided to treat myself (and you guys) to some self-indulgent birthday fluff.<br/>The last scene is a bit emotional but besides that nothing bad happens, no angst, no drama, just 4,6k words of happiness. Enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jaskier woke with a start, cold sweat pooling at the base of his spine with the dreadful feeling that he had forgotten something.</p><p>Now, that wasn't unusual, not really; he forgot things all the time. Only this time his mind cleared with the horrible certainty that it was something <em>important</em>.</p><p>He sat up, heaving in the mild spring air while he took stock of his surroundings, desperately searching for whatever he had misplaced. It wasn't his bag, that was beneath his head, and it wasn't his lute either, that was tied to Roach's saddle – which meant that he hadn't forgotten his witcher either (not that that happened often, but, to his shame, it had been an occurrence in the past). They hadn't forgotten Ciri either, she was sleeping peacefully on the other side of the fi- ‘wait a fucking minute.’</p><p>"Geralt!" he hissed quietly. The witcher grunted in his sleep and blindly groped around to pull his lover close. Jaskier jabbed him sharply in the ribs. "Geralt!"</p><p>"What?" he snapped and opened his eyes, alert for any danger. "What the fuck, Jaskier?" he growled when he noticed that they were the only ones around. "It's the middle of the night."</p><p>"I know!" Jaskier whisper-shouted. "Be quiet or you'll wake Ciri!"</p><p>He groaned and flopped back down. "Don't I deserve the same courtesy?"</p><p>"Shh!" he made again. "It's <em>about</em> Ciri!"</p><p>"What's <em>about Ciri</em>?"</p><p>"It's almost Belleteyn," he informed him solemnly</p><p>"So?"</p><p>"So, your child surprise is about to turn eighteen years old."</p><p>"Shit happens," Geralt grunted and turned to his side. "Lie down and go the fuck to sleep, Jaskier."</p><p>"What do you mean, shit happens?" he gasped, doing a very poor job of keeping his voice down. "We have to do something about it!"</p><p>He sighed exasperatedly and rubbed at his temples. "We can't stop a birthday, bard. Now get back here, so I can sleep."</p><p>"I don't want to stop it, idiot!" he hissed. "I want to celebrate it."</p><p>"Jaskier!"</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"Not now!"</p><p>"Right," he mumbled dissatisfied and moved to lie down beside him in his outstretched arms. He sighed content when Geralt wrapped himself around him, and even threw one leg over his hips to keep him in place.</p><p>And while Jaskier's body settled down, his eyes drooping tiredly, his mind wasn't quite able to shut down. There were a lot of austerities on the Path, Jaskier knew. His foot started tapping nervously. In the past twenty-eight years he had learned to live with the blisters on his feet and the reappearing holes in his clothes as well as the occasional dry spells, both in a literal and a figurative sense. But not celebrating Cirilla coming of age? That surely went too f-</p><p>"Jaskier," Geralt groaned.</p><p>"Yes, my dear?" His foot stopped twitching as he focused on the rumbling in the chest behind him.</p><p>Geralt nuzzled his neck gently. "You're thinking too loud."</p><p>"Right, I'll just stop doing that!" He rolled his eyes. "Great idea, Geralt, why didn't I think of it myself?"</p><p>He groaned wordlessly and tightened his grip on him. "Please," he whispered, "mercy. Anything to let me go back to sleep..."</p><p>Jaskier sighed. "Just keep holding onto me?" That usually helped him ground himself. He knew that Geralt was right. It was no use driving himself crazy now. He only hoped that his tireless mind that knew no rest would come to the same conclusion soon.</p><p>In the end, he must have fallen asleep, for Jaskier woke the next morning with a terribly foul mood that usually came with not enough rest. Ciri was joking around with him, completely unsuspecting of anything and Geralt didn't stop shooting him reproachful glances that he translated as ‘told you so’.</p><p>They broke camp a bit slower than normally but soon they were back on the Path again. Ciri galloped off on her mare a few times while Jaskier and Geralt enjoyed a more leisurely pace, Jaskier using her absence to continue conspiring with a hushed voice: "Geralt," he hissed and leaned over to him.</p><p>Geralt rolled his eyes and pushed at his shoulder. "You're going to fall off," he chided.</p><p>"Pfff, fiddlesticks!" he scoffed. Still, he sat upright in Pegasus' saddle again. "We need a present," he determined. "A good one."</p><p>The witcher shook his head disbelievingly. "I still don't know what all that fuss is about."</p><p>"She's coming of age, Geralt!" He threw his arms open wide, tugging sharply on the reins in the process and Pegasus snorted in annoyance. "This is a special day!"</p><p>"What are you two talking about?" This time Jaskier truly almost fell off.</p><p>"Ciri!" he exclaimed while trying to regain his composure. "Melitele's tits, you scared the living daylights out of me!"</p><p>She snickered mischievously. "Twenty-eight years on the Path, Jaskier, and still that jumpy. By the looks of it I'll soon be the one protecting you!"</p><p>"Well, that only speaks of your prowess with that sword of yours," he answered light-heartedly. "But I assure you, I won't be in need of your defence in the near future."</p><p>Geralt snorted. "You couldn't handle anything more dangerous than a very determined squirrel."</p><p>Jaskier gasped in mock offence and swatted at him while Ciri laughed. "How dare you?" he bristled. "I could handle a very determined rabbit at least! Besides, I trust that you will burden yourself with the duty to rescue me from any further possibly lethal situations. Just as you did in the past."</p><p>Geralt hummed quietly but it was a soft hum, the kind that always managed to set butterflies loose in Jaskier’s stomach. ‘After all these years,’ he thought happily, ‘I am still the luckiest man on the continent.’ And how could he not, with his quiet witcher by his side, who showed his love daily in a thousand ways that never required words.</p><p>"So, what were you talking about?" Ciri asked curiously and brought him back to the present.</p><p>"You don't want to know," Geralt grumbled the same moment that Jaskier winked exaggeratedly and said: "Oh, nothing, dear."</p><p>She wrinkled her nose. "Gross," she declared and spurred off again.</p><p>As soon as she was gone, Jaskier shot Geralt a pointed look that said as much as 'Do you understand why I wanted to talk about this at night now?' and the witcher sighed.</p><p>"Fine," he conceded. "But no dramatics."</p><p>Jaskier gasped and clutched his chest dramatically. "I would never!" A wide grin spread on his face. Secretly, he had been making plans for months. He already knew what gift he would present her with, he knew what cake he would order in a bakery. He even knew a nice quiet clearing with a lake in the area where he had once deflowered a fair maiden but now it would be perfect for the birthday celebration of the Lion Cub of Cintra – who he really should stop calling Cub, now that she was a woman grown, come to think of it. With the xenovox he even could invite the rest of their little family.</p><p>“Jaskier…,” Geralt growled as warning but it only made him grin wider. He was sure that everything would go just perfectly. </p><p>
  <strong>~*~</strong>
</p><p>"This is horrible!" Jaskier croaked and sniffled.</p><p>"Come on, Jaskier," Geralt said softly, "it's not that bad."</p><p>He coughed violently and clung to his lover. "I'm sick, Geralt," he lamented in a whisper, the loudest sound he could manage, "I'm sick and can't sing. This is a catastrophe as terrible as there ever wa-" The rest of his tirade was drowned out in another fit of coughing.</p><p>"Shhh," the witcher made and rubbed his back soothingly. "Don't overexert yourself. And stop talking, you're only making it worse."</p><p>"You sound entirely too pleased with my miserable condition."</p><p>"I assure you; I am not. I prefer your singing to your whining. I mean it, though. Stop talking."</p><p>He rolled his eyes and shot him a look that said as much as 'as if that's ever gonna happen'. Judging from Geralt's snort the witcher found his own joke hilarious, too. "You're horrible!" He swatted at him. "I am lying on my deathbed and-"</p><p>"I <em>assure </em>you; you are not."</p><p>"-you are still treating me badly. I don't even know why I put up with you!"</p><p>Geralt smirked. "I've been asking myself the same thing for the past three decades..."</p><p>Jaskier let out a strangled shout and punched him weakly in the chest. The witcher only laughed and responded with a kiss. 'I guess it does have advantages to have a lover who can't get sick,' Jaskier mused.</p><p>"You're cute," Ciri said fondly as she stepped through a portal onto the clearing.</p><p>"Ciri!" Jaskier exclai- well, tried to exclaim and whispered instead. "Oh, I am so sorry that I am in this wretched state today of all days," he said and tried to scramble to his feet only to be promptly pulled down by Geralt again. "Stop that, you donkey arse, I'm trying to wish your daughter a happy birthday."</p><p>"The sentiment is very much appreciated," Ciri told him and squatted down beside him, "but I am not the incapacitated one." She smiled softly and held out a vial. "Got you medicine. Drink up, Jaskier."</p><p>He scowled angrily which undoubtedly resulted in a ridiculous pout, but didn't try to resist too much when Geralt uncorked the vial and held to his lips. He did complain, though; it was one of his greatest strengths after all. "That tastes like piss," he lamented.</p><p>Ciri laughed and arched an eyebrow. "And you know what that tastes like because...?"</p><p>He winced. "That's a story for when Uncle Lambert gets you drunk the first time this winter."</p><p>Geralt's grip on him tightened. "No, he won't."</p><p>"Sure," Jaskier drawled and winked at Ciri who grinned excitedly. 'Just you wait,' he mouthed and made grabby hands towards her. "Can I give you your annual birthday hug at least?"</p><p>"That you can!" She wriggled closer and batted Geralt's hands away. "Scoot, you can have him again, later. Right now, it's my turn for the best hug on the Continent."</p><p>Pride welled up inside him when he heard that as if he had just won the Oxenfurt bardic tournament. And even though he was not willing to admit it there was a tiny tear in the corner of his eye when he pulled her close. "Happy birthday, Ciri," he whispered, the tears stealing his voice as much as his ailment. "I'm so, so very proud of you, cub."</p><p>"Thank you, Jaskier," she answered, her voice just as heavy as hers.</p><p>It felt nice and Jaskier allowed himself to sink into that feeling until- "Who are you and what are you doing to my daughter?" the sharp voice behind him startled him and he tried to scramble away.</p><p>"Yennefer, what the fuck?" he croaked hoarsely.</p><p>The sorceress just laughed and even Geralt snorted amused. "Gets you every time. What is that, a knee-jerk reaction, or-!"</p><p>"Oh, ha ha, very funny," he rolled his eyes only to be pulled into another hug.</p><p>"Oh, shoo!" Ciri said and held on tighter. "I'm not done here yet and I'm the birthday girl. Besides, I'm his as much as I'm yours."</p><p>'Huh,' Jaskier thought as he closed his arms around her again. ‘Whatever she means with that.’</p><p>To his even bigger surprise, Yennefer agreed: "Yeah, we did a pretty damn good job raising that little rascal." There was a tiny pause. “All three of us did.”</p><p>Geralt hummed and closed his arms around him again. 'Oh,' Jaskier thought as he realised what they were saying and there was no stopping the tears now. He had never thought himself as part of Ciri’s chosen-few of educators doubling as parental figures. ‘And yet,’ he thought, ‘here we are.’ “Are you serious about that?” he whispered quietly enough that he hoped Yennefer didn’t hear.</p><p>“Sure am,” Ciri answered and squeezed him tightly.</p><p>"Are you crying, bard?" Yennefer mocked, but there was no true edge to her voice. "That's pathetic."</p><p>He sniffled and raised his middle finger in response. The sorceress laughed and Ciri slowly let go. She got up and walked over to her to receive her birthday wishes, too. Jaskier used the time to get comfortable in Geralt's lap again.</p><p>The witcher had already congratulated her early this morning when Jaskier had still been certain to meet death on the damp forest floor somewhere in <em>Kovir</em> of all places. After ten pathetic minutes of his whining, Ciri had taken pity on him and opened a portal to go get medicine somewhere. He hadn't asked where but knowing her mother — or rather <em>any </em>of her parents — there was no way there wasn’t some level of illegality involved.</p><p>"So, I guess we're staying here for today?" Ciri asked, turning towards them again.</p><p>"That was the plan anyways," Geralt mumbled.</p><p>"The plan?" Ciri asked disbelievingly. "You had a <em>plan</em>?"</p><p>"Now come on, Cub, that would hardly be the first t- yeah, shutting up," Jaskier mumbled as he saw the three pointed glares directed at him.</p><p>"Please," Ciri mocked, "you don't <em>do</em> plans. None of you."</p><p>"That's untrue," Yennefer chimed in, "we <em>do</em>, in fact, do plans.”</p><p>Jaskier added: “Alas, they’re always deferred by fate.”</p><p>“They’re shitty from the start,” Geralt concluded.</p><p>They all shared a hearty laugh which ended in another coughing fit from Jaskier. Geralt fell silent as once and glared at him angrily. "If you don't stop talking now," he growled, "I'll gag you."</p><p>Ciri and Yennefer gagged in unison. "Gross," Ciri declared. Ridiculously, he was relieved to see that. 'Come on, Jaskier, she's not a completely different person just because of one stupid day,' he reminded himself. But when Geralt squeezed his hand, he knew that he was not alone with his thoughts.</p><p>"So," their daughter asked as she sat down against a log, "what <em>was </em>the plan?" She looked at them expectantly.</p><p>Geralt 'hmmed' and made no apparent attempt to start talking. Jaskier rolled his eyes but determined to elude a smelly rag shoved into his mouth – he had no doubts that the witcher would go through with his threat – he kept his mouth shut and began jabbing him in the ribs with his finger instead while he gazed at him pleadingly. "No," the witcher said sharply but began talking at least: "Jaskier wrote a song for you. Wanted to serenade you. Pity he can't do that now."</p><p>Yennefer snorted. At least Ciri smiled sympathetically. "I'm looking forward to hearing it. Once you can hold a note again."</p><p>Jaskier hit Geralt sharply in the ribs with his elbow and made grabby hands.</p><p>"Will you be able to keep from singing, if I hand you your lute?" the witcher asked doubtfully.</p><p>He nodded eagerly and Yennefer shook her head, laughing loudly. "Liar."</p><p>Geralt patted Jaskier's head but made no attempt to fetch him his lute. Defiantly Jaskier crossed his arms. Not that anyone of the present people cared for it.</p><p>"There's also cake," Geralt continued. "Jaskier insisted."</p><p>"Where?" Ciri arched an eyebrow. "With the horses?"</p><p>"Hmm."</p><p>"Ah. I think you mean to say there<em> was</em> cake." She pointed her thumb at where Roach was happily munching out of- the black saddlebag the cake was stored in.</p><p>"No!" Jaskier croaked and jumped to his feet. "Bad horse!"</p><p>But before he could dash over to her, Geralt caught him by the scruff and pulled him back down. "Bad <em>bard</em>," he growled. Yennefer and Ciri didn't even <em>try</em> to hide their laughter.</p><p>"This is the worst birthday I've ever planned," Jaskier moaned woefully. That alone sent the two women into another fit of laughter and once Geralt clamped his hand over his bard’s mouth and they resumed their discussion with wide gestures (Jaskier) and pointed glares (Geralt) they were positively howling with laughter.</p><p>"So," Ciri said, once she had recovered. "You wanted to stay here for a whole day doing what? Listening to one song and eating a cake?"</p><p>"Of course not! Who do you take us for, Ciri?" Yennefer asked. "I wouldn't dream of punishing you with one of the bard's mediocre songs as your only present."</p><p>He showed her his middle finger. Again.</p><p>She smiled brightly and continued: “There’s a banquet table waiting for you behind another portal. With <em>proper</em> cake.”</p><p>He held up his second middle finger, too, for good measure. At least until Geralt pressed his hands down again.</p><p>"Show her," he told Yennefer and Jaskier sat up a bit more. Geralt had refused to provide him with so much as a <em>hint</em> for whatever he had planned for Ciri's birthday, but judging from his secretiveness it had to be <em>huge</em>.</p><p>"Are you sure?" the sorceress inquired. "It was your idea, after all."</p><p>The witcher just shrugged, and then Yennefer shrugged, too, and handed Ciri a velvet pouch. "Happy birthday, ugly one," she told her with a soft smile.</p><p>The girl looked at them questioningly before opening the little bag. She turned it upside down and Jaskier leaned forward to get a better look. They gasped in unison when the silver chain slid out. "Where did you get that?" she asked disbelievingly as she traced the wolf's head on the medallion with her thumb.</p><p>"Found it years ago," Geralt said simply as if he hadn't just gifted her an incredibly rare artefact of his school. "Was waiting for the right moment. Gave it to Yen for safekeeping. Thanks."</p><p>"Well...," the sorceress said, "I might have... modified it."</p><p>"Yen...," Geralt said reproachfully but she only raised her hands in innocence.</p><p>"Don't worry! None of the original qualities are lost. I know this stuff. After all, I've done it before." She tapped the amulet around her throat. "Remember Ellander, Ciri?"</p><p>She nodded, her eyes still on the medallion. "I couldn't look away from it."</p><p>Yennefer smiled. "This is just the same."</p><p>She raised her eyes. "Geralt..."</p><p>Jaskier felt him shake his head behind him. "It's nothing. You're a witcher, aren't you? Trained in Kaer Morhen like the rest of us. You're meant to have one."</p><p>Without any sort of warning, Ciri flung himself at Geralt, trapping Jaskier awkwardly in the midst of their hug. "Thank you," she said over and over again, "thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you."</p><p>Jaskier uncomfortably cleared his throat. "Umm- D'you want me to?"</p><p>"Shut up, Jaskier," they said simultaneously. Ciri let go with one arm to point at Yen. "And you! Stop pretending and join the hug!"</p><p>"Now that's no way to talk with your mother-" Ciri and Jaskier groaned and rolled their eyes. "Fine," she decreed. "Just don't think too much of it." But then, to Jaskier’s astonishment, she came over and hugged them, too. </p><p>Ciri sighed happily. "This is the best birthday I could have wished for," she confessed. "And the best family, too." And, in the end, that was all that mattered.</p><p>Yennefer stayed for the rest of the day but when they all woke up on the next morning, she had already said goodbye to Ciri and vanished without a trace. Geralt insisted on waiting for another day but Jaskier wanted to hear none of that. He was feeling well enough, he claimed, and they could resume their travels.</p><p>
  <strong>~*~</strong>
</p><p>It took a week for his voice to fully return and another for him to find a quiet moment to finally give Ciri her present. Geralt had gone off to- do <em>something</em>, he was sure and he approached Ciri nervously.</p><p>"Hey," Jaskier said softly and sat down next to her, gently nudging her with his shoulder, "watcha thinking about?"</p><p>"Hmm," she made stoking the fire until sparks danced up into the night. "Just... stuff."</p><p>He nodded. "I imagine," he agreed but made no attempt to press her further. She wasn't like Geralt in that aspect. He knew she'd open up eventually.</p><p>After a while she asked: "Do you think we'll ever know peace?"</p><p>"The continent? I'm sure of it."</p><p>"No," she shook her head. "We. You, me, Geralt. Yennefer and Triss. Lambert and Eskel. All of our little family, I mean. Do you think we'll ever have a place to call home? Where we won’t have to fear?"</p><p>Jaskier laughed at that. "Who knows? There's nothing certain in life, little cub, you should know that. There might come a day when you and Geralt sheathe your swords. A day when the last portal closes behind Yennefer. Or there might not be. There's something that won't change, though, and that's a promise."</p><p>"And what's that?"</p><p>"Wherever you go, my songs won't be far behind. You'll never be alone on your Path. And that's a little bit like home, too, isn't it?</p><p>Ciri smiled. "I guess it is."</p><p>"Now, I believe I promised you a song, didn't I? Would you like to hear it?"</p><p>"Yes, Jaskier, I very much would."</p><p>"Great!" He shot up and wheeled around, lunging for his lute. He slung the lute strap over his shoulders and bowed with a flourish that made Ciri laugh. "Ladies, gentlemen and noble steeds," he announced, "I present to you my newest creation: The Ballad of the Lion Pup." He hesitated for one moment. "Just- this is for your ears only, Ciri. I mean every word of it, but no living soul must ever hear it. Do you understand?"</p><p>“I know.” She nodded solemnly and tipped her head back to gaze at the stars. "Just sing it already, Jaskier."</p><p>"Right..." he said and gingerly plucked the first few notes of the song. Then, he began to sing:</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>In a time of dark and blood and war</em>
</p><p>
  <em>There was a princess fair.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>And though she knew the woes of life</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She did never despair.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>When the White Sun rose above our heads</em>
</p><p>
  <em>And the Lioness did fall</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The Lion Cub then quickly fled</em>
</p><p>
  <em>To escape from Nilfgaard's thrall.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>For years she ran, for years she searched</em>
</p><p>
  <em>For a wolf as white as snow.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>And when they met, their fates entwined,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>It was the end of all their woes.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Up north inside the White Wolf's den,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The Lion Cub did grow.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Amidst the stone and winds and ice,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>New life and love did rise.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>And though she had arrived a Cub,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>She never left as that.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The Cub did turn into a Pup,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Part of the White Wolf's pack.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>The White Wolf was the first to love,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>His destined Child Surprise.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>And so, the Wolf both strong and rough,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Held the young girl when she cried.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>The wise Grey Wolf taught what he knew,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>As he'd done for all his life.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>So, in the Den life grew anew,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>The pack again did thrive.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>The Strong Wolf and the Small One, too,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Loved their Pup just as much.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>For after years of grief, they knew, </em>
</p><p>
  <em>The glory of a laugh.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Then there joined into the fray,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>A lonely Griffin in his nest</em>
</p><p>
  <em>At night they loved to sing and play</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Whatever they loved best.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>In sorcery she was well trained,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>For witches she knew two.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>And so, the Pup a sister gained</em>
</p><p>
  <em>And then a mother, too.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Do trust that this whole song is true,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>For I was there, as well.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>And I loved her 'til the end of time,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>So, believe the tale I tell.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>In a time when our whole world burned</em>
</p><p>
  <em>There was a princess fair.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>But she was loved and loved in turn</em>
</p><p>
  <em>So, she did never despair.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>The last notes drifted off into the night and Ciri looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "Thank you," she whispered.</p><p>There was a quiet harrumph from the edge of the trees and Jaskier spun around. "Geralt!" he exclaimed happily, taking in the fond expression on his face. "Did you listen?"</p><p>"I did," he confessed quietly opening his arms for the bard. He quickly set his lute down and hurried over to him.</p><p>Ciri got up with an exaggerated sigh and roll of her eyes. "<em>Ughh</em>," she said and grabbed her bedroll, "I'll set up camp elsewhere."</p><p>"Don't go too far!" Jaskier called after her.</p><p>"Don't be too loud," she replied, obviously doing her best to sound annoyed and failing miserably. "I fucking hate it when you're loud."</p><p>Jaskier snickered quietly and turned to loop his arms around Geralt's neck. "Just like her father," he whispered against his lips, "feigning annoyance to mask her softness."</p><p>"Hmm," Geralt made and kissed him. "I'm doing a better job, though."</p><p>"No, you're not. And I love you for it." He pecked him on the mouth.</p><p>"I also seem to recall another father of hers who's horribly dramatic. And whines three days about splinters up his arse after sitting on a log I <em>told</em> him not to sit down to."</p><p>"That's not fair." Jaskier wrinkled his nose. "You see, you don't have all the facts."</p><p>"Which are?" the witcher asked and pulled him closer.</p><p>"That I happen to be endowed with a rather shapely arse," he replied grinning cheekily, "which you aren't allowed to touch if there's so much as a sliver of wood in it."</p><p>"Hmm," Geralt made contemplatively and lowered his hands to grasp his backside firmly. "I'm not convinced. Might need to get a better look at it."</p><p>Jaskier laughed loudly and dove in for a kiss. "That you shall have," he promised and tugged him towards their bedrolls.</p><p>When they laid side by side afterwards, as naked as the day they were born with tangled limbs and mingled breaths, Jaskier sighed contently. "So," he said, pillowing his head on Geralt's chest, "some review? Three words or less."</p><p>"Shapely arse indeed," he mumbled, his voice heavy from exhaustion and bliss.</p><p>He slapped him lightly. "Not that, you idiot witcher. The song. Did you like it?"</p><p>"Hm." Geralt buried his face in Jaskier's hair. "Loved it. Love all your songs."</p><p>"Really? Because I seem to remember some comment about my singing and its resemblance to a fillingless pie."</p><p>He groaned. "Fuck, Jaskier, that was <em>years</em> ago."</p><p>He snickered. "Always love to tease you about it."</p><p>"I'm aware." After a short pause he added: "Can I ask you something?"</p><p>"Always, darling."</p><p>"In your song... It's not like the songs you sing about me. It's not about... her deeds."</p><p>"No," he agreed, "it isn't."</p><p>"Why"</p><p>"Because the people needed reminding that you were their protector all along. With Ciri they need reminding that she is more than just their protector. As does she herself." He propped himself up on one elbow and gently stroked Geralt's hair. "In a century or five or ten, stories of her will fade. They won't remember the colour of her hair, or her favourite food or that she fell in love with that lovely girl three months ago." Geralt shot him a bewildered look and he sighed. "Though I can hardly hold it against them if her own father didn't know."</p><p>Geralt scowled. Tired as he was, it was the most adorable effigy of a pout. "I still don't understand."</p><p>"They will always remember her heroics," he explained patiently. "That's not what's important, though. The important thing is that she's loved and loves in return. And that <em>she</em> never forgets it."</p><p>"Hmm," he hummed and frowned even harder. "I love <em>you</em>."</p><p>Jaskier blinked stunned for one moment. 'Oh Geralt,' he thought as soon as it hit him, 'you only needed to ask.' In his mind there were a thousand odes to Geralt's love already, a myriad of songs that had never been sung, never out loud, at least. Not even when it had been only him had he dared to do that, but now- "And I love you, too," Jaskier sighed contently and snuggled closer. He kissed him on the cheek. A promise, a sacred oath between them, understood without ever saying the words. 'I'll sing of your love, too.'</p><p>His mind was already drifting off to sleep when he heard Geralt whisper: "There's peace in your arms for me. There's a home in your songs. With you, there’s nothing I fear."</p><p>With a content smile on his lips, Jaskier slept. Peacefully.</p>
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So, that's that.<br/>I hope that you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing this.<br/>Leave a comment to let me know what you think or hop over to my <a href="https://dhwty-writes.tumblr.com/">tumblr</a> to come chat with me, if you like!<br/>Edit: Feel free to leave prompts in the comments/on tumblr, I've got no plans for today :)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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